Cooling techniques for semiconductor package

Abstract

In some examples, a device includes a high-side switch, a first high-side conductive element electrically connected to a first load terminal of the high-side switch, and a second high-side conductive element electrically connected to a second load terminal of the high-side switch. The device also includes a layer of cooling material encapsulating the high-side switch, the first high-side conductive element, and the second high-side conductive element. The device further includes a low-side switch, a first low-side conductive element electrically connected to a first load terminal of the low-side switch, and a second low-side conductive element electrically connected to a second load terminal of the low-side switch. The layer of cooling material encapsulates the low-side switch, the first low-side conductive element, and the second low-side conductive element.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device comprising:
 a high-side switch; 
 a first high-side conductive element electrically connected to a first load terminal of the high-side switch; 
 a second high-side conductive element electrically connected to a second load terminal of the high-side switch; 
 a layer of cooling material encapsulating the high-side switch, the first high-side conductive element, and the second high-side conductive element; 
 a low-side switch; 
 a first low-side conductive element electrically connected to a first load terminal of the low-side switch; 
 a second low-side conductive element electrically connected to a second load terminal of the low-side switch, wherein the layer of cooling material encapsulates the low-side switch, the first low-side conductive element, and the second low-side conductive element; 
 a printed circuit board (PCB) including an electrical interface and configured to:
 deliver control signals to the high-side switch based on signals received at the electrical interface; and 
 deliver control signals to the low-side switch based on signals received at the electrical interface; 
 
 a first body including the cooling material, the high-side switch, the first high-side conductive element, the second high-side conductive element, the low-side switch, the first low-side conductive element, and the second low-side conductive element; and 
 a second body surrounding the first body, the second body including the PCB and interconnect elements configured to receive a high-side power supply, receive a low-side power supply, and deliver an output signal, 
 wherein the electrical interface is at least partially exposed on the second body. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first high-side conductive element is positioned on a side of the high-side switch facing the low-side switch, 
 wherein the first low-side conductive element is positioned on a side of the low-side switch facing the high-side switch, 
 wherein the first high-side conductive element is electrically connected to a high-side power supply, 
 wherein the first low-side conductive element is electrically connected to a low-side power supply, and 
 wherein the second high-side conductive element is electrically connected to the second low-side conductive element to form a C-shaped interconnect element. 
 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling material includes thermoplastic material. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first high-side conductive element is positioned on a side of the high-side switch facing the low-side switch, 
 wherein the first low-side conductive element is positioned on a side of the low-side switch facing the high-side switch, and 
 wherein the layer of cooling material separates the first low-side conductive element and the first high-side conductive element by a distance of less than one millimeter. 
 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first high-side conductive element is positioned on a side of the high-side switch facing the low-side switch, 
 wherein the first low-side conductive element is positioned on a side of the low-side switch facing the high-side switch, and 
 wherein the first high-side conductive element is electrically connected to the first low-side conductive element to form a C-shaped interconnect element. 
 
     
     
       6. A device comprising:
 a middle cooling element; 
 a high-side cooling element; 
 a high-side switch; 
 an outside high-side conductive element positioned between the high-side switch and the high-side cooling element, wherein the outside high-side conductive element is electrically connected to a high-side power supply; 
 a middle high-side conductive element electrically connected to a load terminal of the high-side switch, wherein the middle high-side conductive element is positioned between the high-side switch and the middle cooling element; 
 a low-side cooling element; 
 a low-side switch; 
 an outside low-side conductive element positioned between the low-side switch and the low-side cooling element, wherein the outside low-side conductive element is electrically connected to a low-side power supply; and 
 a middle low-side conductive element electrically connected to a load terminal of the low-side switch, 
 wherein the middle low-side conductive element is positioned between the low-side switch and the middle cooling element, and 
 wherein the middle high-side conductive element is electrically connected to the middle low-side conductive element to form a C-shaped interconnect element. 
 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the high-side switch, the low-side switch, and the C-shaped interconnect element comprise a first phase segment, the device further comprising a second phase segment comprising:
 a second high-side switch; 
 a second low-side switch; and 
 a second C-shaped interconnect element including:
 a second middle high-side conductive element electrically connected to a first load terminal of the second high-side switch and positioned between the second high-side switch and the middle cooling element; and 
 a second middle low-side conductive element electrically connected to a first load terminal of the second low-side switch and positioned between the second low-side switch and the middle cooling element, 
 
 wherein the outside high-side conductive element is electrically connected to a second load terminal of the second high-side switch and positioned between the second high-side switch and the high-side cooling element, and 
 wherein the outside low-side conductive element is electrically connected to a second load terminal of the second low-side switch and positioned between the second low-side switch and the low-side cooling element. 
 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 6 , further comprising a thermosetting polymer material,
 wherein the high-side switch is encapsulated in the thermosetting polymer material, and 
 wherein the low-side switch is encapsulated in the thermosetting polymer material. 
 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 6 , further comprising a thermoplastic material,
 wherein the thermoplastic material encapsulates the middle cooling element, the middle high-side conductive element, and the middle low-side conductive element, and 
 wherein the thermoplastic material at least partially encapsulates the device. 
 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the middle cooling element is separated from the middle high-side conductive element by the thermoplastic material such that the middle cooling element is not in direct contact with the middle high-side conductive element, and 
 wherein the middle cooling element is separated from the middle low-side conductive element by the thermoplastic material such that the middle cooling element is not in direct contact with the middle low-side conductive element. 
 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 10 ,
 wherein a distance through the thermoplastic material between the middle cooling element and the middle high-side conductive element is in a range from two hundred micrometers to one millimeter, and 
 wherein a distance through the thermoplastic material between the middle cooling element and the middle low-side conductive element is in a range from two hundred micrometers to one millimeter. 
 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 9 , further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) including an electrical interface,
 wherein the PCB is configured to:
 deliver control signals to the high-side switch; and 
 deliver control signals to the low-side switch, and 
 
 wherein the thermoplastic material partially encapsulates the PCB such that the thermoplastic material does not cover the electrical interface. 
 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 6 , further comprising a first fluid interface and a second fluid interface, wherein the middle cooling element is configured to carry fluid from the first fluid interface through the device to the second fluid interface. 
     
     
       14. A method comprising:
 electrically connecting a first high-side conductive element to a first load terminal of a high-side switch; 
 electrically connecting a second high-side conductive element to a second load terminal of a high-side switch; 
 electrically connecting a first low-side conductive element to a first load terminal of a low-side switch; 
 electrically connecting a second low-side conductive element to a second load terminal of a low-side switch; 
 encapsulating the high-side switch, the first high-side conductive element, and the second high-side conductive element in a layer of cooling material; 
 encapsulating the low-side switch, the first low-side conductive element, and the first high-side conductive element in the layer of cooling material; 
 positioning a cooling element such that the first high-side conductive element is positioned between the high-side switch and the cooling element and such that the first low-side conductive element is positioned between the low-side switch and the cooling element, 
 wherein positioning the cooling element comprises positioning the cooling element such that the cooling element is not in direct contact with the first high-side conductive element and such that cooling element is not in direct contact with the first low-side conductive element; and 
 encapsulating the cooling element in the layer of cooling material. 
 
     
     
       15. A device comprising:
 a middle cooling element; 
 a high-side cooling element; 
 a high-side switch; 
 an outside high-side conductive element positioned between the high-side switch and the high-side cooling element; 
 a middle high-side conductive element electrically connected to a high-side power supply and to a load terminal of the high-side switch, wherein the middle high-side conductive element is positioned between the high-side switch and the middle cooling element; 
 a low-side cooling element; 
 a low-side switch; 
 an outside low-side conductive element positioned between the low-side switch and the low-side cooling element; and 
 a middle low-side conductive element electrically connected to a low-side power supply and to a load terminal of the low-side switch, 
 wherein the middle low-side conductive element is positioned between the low-side switch and the middle cooling element, and 
 wherein the outside high-side conductive element is electrically connected to the outside low-side conductive element to form a C-shaped interconnect element. 
 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 15 , wherein the high-side switch, the low-side switch, and the C-shaped interconnect element comprise a first phase segment, the device further comprising a second phase segment comprising:
 a second high-side switch; 
 a second low-side switch; and 
 a second C-shaped interconnect element including:
 a second outside high-side conductive element electrically connected to a first load terminal of the second high-side switch and positioned between the second high-side switch and the high-side cooling element; and 
 a second outside low-side conductive element electrically connected to a first load terminal of the second low-side switch and positioned between the second low-side switch and the low-side cooling element, 
 
 wherein the middle high-side conductive element is electrically connected to a second load terminal of the second high-side switch and positioned between the second high-side switch and the middle cooling element, and 
 wherein the middle low-side conductive element is electrically connected to a second load terminal of the second low-side switch and positioned between the second low-side switch and the middle cooling element. 
 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 15 , further comprising a thermoplastic material at least partially encapsulating the device,
 wherein the thermoplastic material encapsulates the middle cooling element, the middle high-side conductive element, and the middle low-side conductive element, 
 wherein the middle cooling element is separated from the middle high-side conductive element by the thermoplastic material such that the middle cooling element is not in direct contact with the middle high-side conductive element, and 
 wherein the middle cooling element is separated from the middle low-side conductive element by the thermoplastic material such that the middle cooling element is not in direct contact with the middle low-side conductive element. 
 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a printed circuit board (PCB) including an electrical interface and configured to deliver control signals to the high-side switch and to the low-side switch; and 
 a thermoplastic material partially encapsulating the PCB such that the thermoplastic material does not cover the electrical interface, 
 wherein the thermoplastic material encapsulates the middle cooling element, the middle high-side conductive element, and the middle low-side conductive element. 
 
     
     
       19. A device comprising:
 a cooling element; 
 a high-side switch; 
 a high-side conductive element electrically connected to a load terminal of the high-side switch, wherein the high-side conductive element is positioned between the high-side switch and the cooling element; 
 a low-side switch; 
 a low-side conductive element electrically connected to a load terminal of the low-side switch, wherein the low-side conductive element is positioned between the low-side switch and the cooling element; and 
 a thermoplastic material encapsulating the cooling element, the high-side conductive element, and the low-side conductive element, 
 wherein the cooling element is separated from the high-side conductive element by the thermoplastic material such that the cooling element is not in direct contact with the high-side conductive element, 
 wherein the cooling element is separated from the low-side conductive element by the thermoplastic material such that the cooling element is not in direct contact with the low-side conductive element, and 
 wherein the thermoplastic material at least partially encapsulates the device. 
 
     
     
       20. A device comprising:
 a cooling element; 
 a high-side switch; 
 a high-side conductive element electrically connected to a load terminal of the high-side switch, wherein the high-side conductive element is positioned between the high-side switch and the cooling element; 
 a low-side switch; 
 a low-side conductive element electrically connected to a load terminal of the low-side switch, wherein the low-side conductive element is positioned between the low-side switch and the cooling element; 
 a printed circuit board (PCB) including an electrical interface and configured to:
 deliver control signals to the high-side switch; and 
 deliver control signals to the low-side switch; and 
 
 a thermoplastic material encapsulating the cooling element, the high-side conductive element, and the low-side conductive element, 
 wherein the thermoplastic material partially encapsulates the PCB such that the thermoplastic material does not cover the electrical interface, and 
 wherein the thermoplastic material at least partially encapsulates the device.